It is strange for a coach to lose his job two days after winning an international tournament, but the misconduct that led to the dismissal of Miguel Herrera was convenient for the Mexican Soccer Federation.

Herrera, nicknamed "El Piojo" (The Louse) was fired Tuesday for attacking a TV commentator who criticized his work. Decio de María, who will take over Saturday as president of the Mexican Soccer Federation, said during a news conference that the values and principles of that institution "are above any result."

The truth is that beyond Herrera's attacking TV Azteca's Christian Martinoli when the Mexican delegation was about to fly home after winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the coach already was facing problems because of his team's weak performance. The incident Monday at the Philadelphia airport provided the ideal excuse to end his contract.

Mexico won 3-1 in the championship game Sunday against Jamaica, but the route to the final was full of thorns.

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Herrera's team was unable to finish at the top of its group at the end of the tournament's first stage. Mexico beat Costa Rica 1-0 and Panama 2-1 in the quarterfinals and semifinals with penalty kicks in overtime. In both games, the winners were helped by referees' mistakes.

To make things worse, Herrera had been heavily criticized before the Gold Cup because of disappointing performances at the Copa America in Chile, where Mexico finished next to last.

Herrera's excuse for his team's play in South America was that he was unable to bring his best players, who were held back for the Gold Cup.

In friendlies between the two tournaments, the team had irregular performances against Costa Rica in Florida and against Honduras at NRG Stadium, where it did not score against a team that failed to make it into the second round of the Gold Cup.

From a tactical perspective, El Piojo's script looked tiresome. Opponents managed to easily read his lineup with five players at the back. When his team had possession of the ball, he moved up the flankers so teams with good speed sat back and easily counterattacked.

El Piojo arrived as a savior when he rescued El Tri from the abyss nearly two years ago, when it beat New Zealand in the playoffs for a berth in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He then led the team to the round of 16.

A man of a strong character who already had shown his temperament as a player, he became known for the way he celebrated Mexico's goals. That same explosiveness played against him this time. He scored an "own goal" on Martinoli (allegedly hitting him in the neck), which enabled Mexico to make a fresh start before the 2018 World Cup.